The List: 7 Jan 1999 (Issue 350)

It’s a Glasgow thrng, and proud of rt. Tun Ton, the Crty's latest ultra chrc restaurant In the heart of the business drstrrct, champrons the Glasgow attrtude of modern drrectronal thrnkrng and demonstrates that local talent and nous can serve a clrentele wrth hrgh expectatrons more ably than the bought-In, drnrng by numbers approach.

Tun Ton Is owned by the Glaswegran duo of Scott Hurst and Mark Woodhouse, the duo responsrble for the club Trash and the award-wrnnrng waterlng spot The Monkey Bar. Thelr new venture has been rn development for a year and utrlrses the talents of number one Glasgow design frrm Graven Images, the company behrnd the drawlng boards of The Brunswrck Hotel, Lrvrng Room, Lounge and most recently Tlnderbox. Kitchen master Kevrn lvlcQuade rs also Glaswegran, a self taught chef who started a decade

'This isn't overly trendy, people walk in at first and think it's very London or very New York, but it's really a very classical design.’

Raymond Smith

ago and gamed hrs frrst head posrtron at nrneteen, and Tun Ton's manager Raymond Smrth (formerly of 78 St Vlncent Street) halls from Glasgow too These are people who really know what the (My demands rn terms of stylrsh drnrng.

Even though It seems Irke you can't walk flve yards In Glasgow \NliilOUi flndlng another style bar or restaurant, Tun Ton stands out, Graven Images have done a fantastrc JOb wrth exceptlonal attentron to detarl In creatrng therr retro/modern envrronment. Etched glass strrps along the wrndow draw the eye Into the restaurant whrch mana- ges to be brrght and modern yet relaxed and lLlXUFIOUS, all at the same trme. Clever llttle features abound, iikC the slrghtly trltrng back roof, whlch makes the restaurant seem bigger, to subtle changes In the floor colourlng whrc‘h delrneate the drfferent areas.

Le Sept

7 Old Fishmarket Close Edinburgh

Lunch and Dinner Monday to Thursday. Friday. Saturday and Sunday open all day

telephone 0131 225 5428

. ‘ -_t_ 'THE FOOD PLANTATION-

SANDWICH DELI 51 COFFEE BAR

2'74 CANONGATE, ROYAL MILE, EDINBURGH TEL & max: 0131 557 9583

MON - Fm 7.3OAM - 4.30954

ovcn 20 YtAna catATIvc

94 THE LIST / 21. Jan 1999

LUNCH, BUSINESS OR PLEASURE.

’Thrs Isn't overly trendy, people walk In at frrst and thrnk It's very LOndon or very New York, but rt’s really a very classical desrgn,’ says manager Raymond Smrth, 'The deOHiy of ctompanres In Glasgow try to do somethrng that rs trendy at the moment and you get a load of bars and restaurants that look exactly the same. What we are tryrng to here, rs somethrng that rs comfortable to be In and not gorng to look dated In a years trme.’

Thrs rs reflected In the menu too wrth a lTllX of tradltlonal Scottlsh Influences, modern Medlterranean and Far Eastern rnsprratrons. Lamb rs served wnh a garlrc honey and mrnt crust wrth parsnrp cnsps and bok chor, Darjeelrng salmon comes wrth sweet lemons, warm antlpastr and herb 0H and there are Medrterranean grrlled vegetables Wrth polenta tempura, all on the £16.95 two-course evenrng menu. The two-course lunch ls Just under a tenner and therr pre-theatre Is only £7.95. The wme llst has some classical Influences lrke the premler cru Chablis or the Chateauneuf du Pape, but there are also more modern styles such as the un-oaked Chardonnay.